Rein-guard



(No Model.)

y e. L. BARD. l REIN GUARD.

No. 352,674. Patented Nov. 16, 1886` ""ga la=v a/ Unire STATES PATENT trice.;

GEPHAS LlTllLE BARD, OF SAN BUENAVENTURA, CALFORNIA.

REIN-GUARD.

SPECEFEGATEON forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,674, dated November 16, 1886.

Application filed June 15, i856. SerialNo. 205,249. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Cnrnas LITTLE Bini), of San Buenaventura, in the-county of Ventura and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rein- Guards; andi do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in rein-guards, and more particularly to devices for preventing the reins from becoming fouled under the adjacent ends of the whiflietrees, where a span of horses is attached to a vehicle. Hitherto this has been partly accomplished by means of leather,J disks secured to the ends of the whiftletrecs, which have been undesirable because of their clumsy and unsightly appearance.A It is, however, a mattei' ot' no inconsiderable importance t-hat there should be some means of effectually prevent` ing the fouling of reins in the above-mentioned manner, since it has proved not only a'- great annoyance, but in many instances injury to life and property has resulted from it.

The object of my present invention is to provide a neat, cheap, efficient device for preventing the reins from becoming fouled.

A further object is to provide a combined rein-guard and trace-fastener,which may serve also to limit the vibratory motions of the whifiietrees.

Vith these ends in view my invention consists in a iiexible band or strap connecting the adjacent whiftletreetips.

My invention further consists in certain features of constructionv and combinations of parts7 as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in-theclaims.

In the accompanying` drawings7 Figure l is a detached View of the combined guard and trace-fastener- Fig. 2 is a View of a slightlymodified form. .3 is a view of the saine applied to the whifiletrees, and Fig. 4 represents a modified form.

A represents the body portion of the reingnard, which is in effect awhifiietree-conpler. It consists of a strip of iiexible material leather, rubber, dto., for eXample-and is provided at or near each end with a slit or opening, a, adapted to be slipped over the eye portion of the tip b on the end of each whiffletree B. It is permanently attached to the tips by crowding its slitted ends over the ends of the tips, and, if desired, the slits c may be partially closed by means of a; thread or cord passing through perforations in the opposite edges of the slit. The ends of the guards, when ron the tips and the traces adjusted. form bearing-washers, which protectthe traces from chating against the ends or sharp edges of the ends of the whitfletrees.

'[he portion ot' the guard between the ends of the whiftletrees should have the requisite amount of slack to allow the ends of the whifiietrees their normal play.

By making the guard of strong tough mate-I rial the guard may serve as a stop to regulate Y the play of the whiffietrees,the ordinary ringstraps being in this instance dispensed with, and the appearance of the running-gear there by improved In my preferred form (shown in Fig. l) the ends of the guard are prolonged at right angles, or nearly so, to the body of the`sarne,and are tapered, as shown at a', to serve as tracefasteners.

\'Vhen in position on thc whiffletrce-tips, the body of the guard A will assume a rearwardlybent position in a horizontal plane,`and the ends c will bend over the traces and extend downwardly through the eyes of the tips.

It will be observed that the above device forms a perfect guard against the passage of the reins beneath the ends of the whiffletrees, while at the same time it combines in itself trace-fasteners and stops which prevent the vibratory play of the whiftletrces.

The modified form shown in Fig. 2 consists 0f a guard portion, A, having the trace-fastening ends formed by a prolongation of the body in the direction of its length.

The second modified form (shown in Fig. 4) consists of the body portion only, the tracefastening ends being omitted. f

Imake no claimr in this application to a strip of leather or othersuitable material provided with a slit or opening adapted to slip over the eye portion of the whiffletree-tip, and a thread IOO or cord adapted to partially close theslit or same forms the subject-matter of my pending application No. 205,248.

It is evident that the curve of the bodyr portion might be downward or forward instead of rearward, as shown, and lthat the guard might be made in various other forms than those shown without departing from the spirit and` scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but, Y

Having fully described my inventio11,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a pair of whiletrees, of a flexible strap or band secured to and conneetingjthe adjacent endsof the whiffletrees, and forming a rein-guard, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a pair of Whiflle# trees, of a flexible strap or band provided with slits or `openings in its ends adapted to be slipped over the tips ofthe adjacent ends of the whifrletrees, for the purpose substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a pair of whifdeltrees, of a ilexible band or strap provided with slits or openings adapted to be slipped over the tips of the adjacent ends of the whiffletrees, and having its ends prolonged to form trace-fasteners, substantially as set forth.

4. A renguard consisting, essentially, of a ilexible strap or band adapted to connect the adjacent ends of a pair of Whifdetrees, and having traoe-fastening ends projecting at right angles, or nearly so, to the body portion, sub'- stantially as set forth.

5. The reinguard consisting essentially of the body portion with slits formed near the ends thereof, and adapted to couple the adjacent ends ofthe whiflletrees, and the end portions tapered and adapted to bend over the traces and extend through the eyes in the whifetree-tips, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEPHAS LITTLE BARD.

Witnesses:

J. LOGAN KENNEDY, A. I. WAGNER. 

